


Platonic Rivals

by Yelir61



Series: Karaoke? [1]
Category: Mahou Sensei Negima!
Genre: F/F, Love Hotels, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:22:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21645184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yelir61/pseuds/Yelir61
Summary: While monitoring Setsuna and Konoka's date, Asuna and Ayaka are forced to examine their own complicated relationship.
Relationships: Kagurazaka Asuna/Yukihiro Ayaka, Konoe Konoka/Sakurazaki Setsuna
Series: Karaoke? [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1854427
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	1. Chapter 1

When Setsuna had finally managed to work up the courage to ask Konoka out, Asuna had been happy for her. Watching her friends dance around one another had been an exercise in frustration. But there had also been no small amount of worry. She knew that Konoka loved her bodyguard unreservedly, and would never think less of her. But for being such a stoic swordswoman, Setsuna has a bad habit of panicking when it came to her charge. The chances of her sabotaging herself on their date was fairly high. When Asuna had confessed her fears to Ayaka, the blonde girl had offered to help. With the two of them dining on a balcony overlooking the couple, monitoring the situation, there was no way the date could not be a success!

“She was pretty insistent that it wasn’t a date, of course,” Asuna snorted. “Because, you know. Dressing up and inviting your childhood friend out for fine dining is totally a thing platonic friends do.”

“Honestly, there should be a limit on how dense you can be,” Ayaka said with a sniff. “I mean, two people, eating dinner together by candlelight at a fancy restaurant? How could that be anything other than a date?”

“Yeah,” Asuna admitted. “It should be pretty obvious. There really isn’t any…other…” She trailed off, looking over the table in front of them and then up at her dining partner. “Ayaka,” she said slowly, “Are we on a date?”

Ayaka’s face went crimson. “Wh-what on earth are you saying, you idiot?” she said loudly. “What kind of-of course not! We are spying on Setsuna and Konoka. Don’t say such strange things!”

“You’re the one who brought this up!” Asuna responded heatedly. “You made it strange! This whole thing was your idea. You even picked out my clothes!”

“Only because you didn’t have anything presentable,” Ayaka said irritably. “Restaurants like this have a dress code. If you wore the potato sacks you normally do, they wouldn’t have let us set foot in the door.”

“So, you bought me a whole new outfit, with jewelry, just for this?” the red-haired girl asked skeptically.

“The jewelry isn’t new. Those are some of my old pieces,” Ayaka said hastily.

“So, you had bell earrings already?” Asuna asked, touching her ears.

“…Yes.”

“That is even more suspicious!”

“Please,” the blonde girl scoffed. “Believe it or not, you do not have a monopoly on bells, Asuna. Other people are allowed to wear them.”

“Then why haven’t I ever seen you wearing them?” Asuna said triumphantly, pointing across the table. “I’ve never seen you wear these in all the years I’ve known you.”

Ayaka opened her mouth to object, before closing it again. “You-you pay attention to my earrings?” she asked hesitantly.

Asuna remained pointing, but the blush that started to creep up her face was difficult to miss.

“You-you even remember all the pairs I’ve worn?” the blonde girl said, picking up steam. “Talk about obsessed! I know I am gorgeous, but please try and restrain yourself a bit.”

“Wha-“ Asuna gasped, flushing redder. “How full of yourself can you possibly be? The only reason I notice your earrings is because you are always in my face, yelling all the time!”

“I never yell! You are the one always invading my personal space. Grabbing me, pushing me down, and pinning me to the floor,” Ayaka argued.

“Oh please,” Asuna said dismissively. “As if you never start it! You end up on top half the time anyways.”

“A minor miracle, wrestling with a monkey like you,” Ayaka muttered. “One of these times, I ought to tie you up while you’re down there. Maybe put a gag in that big mouth of yours. Watching you writhe about beneath me might prove amusing.”

“Ha! Go ahead and try it!” Asuna said heatedly. “We’ll see who is squirming when I’m done with you! Maybe I’ll spank some manners into…your…” she trailed off, hearing what she was saying.

The two girls did their best not to look at each other for a few minutes, becoming inordinately interested in the ceiling, their plates, and the other dinners. “Wow,” Asuna said, finally breaking the silence. “This is…really awkward.”

“Indeed,” Ayaka said with a grimace. “I must agree that that…discussion…got out of hand. I am not quite sure how we ended up there.”

“Yeah. Yeah, that was…” Asuna searched for the right word, before finally settling on “awkward. I-I don’t really know where to go from here.”

“Nor do I,” Ayaka admitted. “It might be best if we simply put the conversation behind us, and pretend that it never happened.”

“Yeah…yeah, that is probably a good idea,” Asuna said, nodding. “Tonight is about Setsuna and Konoka, after all. We should be focusing on them.”

“I agree. Those two deserve to be happy,” Ayaka smiled gently, looking over at their table. Konoka seemed to be in the middle of an elaborate story, with Setsuna listening attentively.

The rest of dinner passed uneventfully, with no major disasters or wild romantic gestures. Ayaka and Asuna finished their meal peacefully, chatting as amiably as they ever did while occasionally glancing over at Setsuna and Konoka. The two couples finished their meals about the same time.

“Ha. Good to see her being a little more forceful,” Asuna said approvingly, watching Setsuna reach out to take Konoka’s hand as they left the restaurant. “The way she acts sometimes, you’d think Konoka was made of glass.”

“Some people just have the common decency to not manhandle those around them,” Ayaka said curtly, paying the bill for their own meal. “Though I admit Setsuna should be a little more bold. Anyone can see that Konoka would welcome her attention.”

Asuna nodded. “Yeah. You think we should give them some privacy? Setsuna hasn’t self-destructed yet. And even if she did, it isn’t as though Konoka wouldn’t just laugh it off.”

Ayaka shook her head. “No. The real threat is if Setsuna grows embarrassed enough to run off. I doubt she would leave Konoka undefended, but she might retreat and call Mana to take care of her. You need to be ready to catch her if she tries. She’ll listen to you.”

“Hmm. You may have a point,” Asuna conceded. “Let’s go then.” Without thinking about it, she reached out to take Ayaka’s hand, tugging her towards the exit. Ayaka glanced down at their joined hands, but said nothing, letting herself be pulled outside.

Thankfully, Setsuna and Konoka were still in view. The two girls followed them from a distance, taking care not to be spotted. Fortunately, it seemed that the swordswoman’s attention was wholly focused on her companion.

After a walk of about fifteen minutes, the couple stopped in front of a large, garish building. Ayaka couldn’t help but gasp as, after talking for a few minutes, the two entered it together. “I-I can’t believe it. I would never have thought-are we certain that was Setsuna? Could an imposter have taken her place?” she asked, shocked.

“We followed them the entire date,” Asuna said, exasperated. “When could a switch have happened? Why are you freaking out?”

“Why? Look at this place!” Ayaka gestured towards the building. Painted bright pink and lit up with flashing neon lights, it stood out like a sore thumb amidst the ordinary office buildings around it. “The Naughty Kitten” the sign on the building read. Below, in smaller print, was the listed price for the hourly and nightly rate. “How could Setsuna bring Konoka here?” _A love hotel? Setsuna?_ It didn’t make any sense.

Asuna tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean? I'm the one who recommended it to her."

Ayaka jerked her head around to stare at the girl. "You-you what?"

Asuna nodded easily. "Yeah, Setsuna was asking about places she could take Konoka, so I recommended this. It's a little pricey, but Setsuna said she had plenty of money saved up, so-"

"Wait, wait, wait. Back up a second," Ayaka interrupted. "You-you recommended that Setsuna bring Konoka here?" she gestured at the garish neon lights.

Asuna sighed. "Yeah? I'm sorry if it isn't the sort of fancy, crazy-expensive place you'd go on a date to."

"That's not what I-wait. Have you-have you been here before?" Ayaka said, blushing and flustered. "When? With who?"

"Well, no. I've never actually been here before," Asuna admitted. "I just see ads for it all the time in the papers I deliver. It looked like fun though! I hope they have a good time."

Ayaka stared dumbly at the red-haired girl. Never, in a million years, would she have expected Asuna to be talking about something like this so calmly. "Isn't-isn't it a little soon for this?" she asked, voice wavering slightly. "I mean, I know they've been attached to each other since they were children, but-I mean, Setsuna hasn't even admitted they're dating yet!"

"What does dating have to do with it?" Asuna asked, puzzled.

"Wha-everything, of course!" Ayaka fired back. "I mean, would you go to a place like this with just anybody?"

"Well no. Probably not just anybody," Asuna admitted. "It is a little embarrassing. It would have to be with someone I felt comfortable around." A gleam entered her eyes. "Or someone I was sure I could beat."

"Beat?" Ayaka asked, bewildered.

"Like you, for example," Asuna said, smirking.

"Me?" Ayaka asked, not processing the statement for a moment. Then the pieces clicked. "Wait, me?"

Asuna only grinned wider. "Oh? You sound worried, Ayaka. Afraid you wouldn't be up to the challenge?"

"That's-that is not it at all! What has gotten into you?" Ayaka demanded, wiping her brow. When it gotten so hot? And when had Asuna gotten so close? "Do you even know what you are saying?"

"Oh, I know," Asuna said smugly. "I'm saying that I'm better than you. That it wouldn't even be a contest. Are you saying I'm wrong?"

"Of-of course you're wrong!" Ayaka blurted out, her natural competitiveness taking over. "A shaved gorilla like you, competing with an elegant maiden like me? My technique would blow you away. You'd beg for more!"

"Oh really?" Asuna laughed. "Well, let's put that to the test, then." Bending down, she quickly scooped Ayaka up in a princess carry.

"What-what do you think you are doing! Put me down!" Ayaka demanded, red-faced. She felt as though her heart were about to burst from her chest.

"Relax," Asuna said, still smirking. "We're just going to see who's better, that's all. I'll even pay, since you got dinner."

"What? No, what are you talking about? Let go of me!" Ayaka said in alarm. She was uncomfortably aware of how firm the arms surrounding her were. They inspired...dangerous thoughts.

"I can afford it," Asuna said more seriously. "I don't need to rely on your charity."

"That's not what I mean! Is this some sort of joke?" Ayaka spluttered. Asuna was actually carrying her towards the hotel entrance! "I'm-I'm not going someplace like this with you!"

"Oh? So you admit I'd win?"

"No!"

"Because it sounds like-"

"You wouldn't stand a chance!"

"Then prove it!"

"Fine!" Ayaka bellowed. "Fine, I'll do it! Just put me down!"

Asuna smiled, letting the other girl down. "That's the spirit. I doubt we'll see Setsuna and Konoka inside, though. They've probably in their own room already."

"Yeah probably," Ayaka agreed automatically, her mind churning. What had she agreed to? Giving away her first time? In a cheap love hotel? To Asuna, of all people? Asuna had been her rival since elementary school! She was a blockhead with no manners who knew how to antagonize her like no one else. Yes, she was very hard-working, and yes, she probably knew Ayaka better then anyone else. And, from an objective standpoint, Ayaka had to admit that the outfit she had picked out really did flatter Asuna, but that said more about her own excellent tastes then anything about Asuna. And yes, it was possible that she was gorgeous with absolutely no effort whatsoever, which was galling when you considered how much time Ayaka spent getting ready every morning. But that didn't mean that she wanted to- to-

“Well then. After you?” Asuna said, holding open the door and bowing in a mocking fashion. Ayaka started, her eyes darting from the entrance to Asuna and back. If she were going to back out, now would be the time. It would be the sensible, rational thing. She would turn around, call for a car, go home, and do her best to forget about all this. If she had any decency at all, Asuna would take a hint and never mention this again, and they could both pretend that it had never happened. Their relationship, half-friendship, half-rivalry, would remain intact, and nothing between them would change.

Ayaka let out a long breath. “You’d better be prepared,” she said seriously, staring at Asuna. “Because I am not going to hold back at all.”

Asuna blushed, clearly affected by her intensity. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she managed. Ayaka nodded, before entering the hotel, with Asuna following closely behind.

Thankfully, renting the room was all automated. Ayaka wasn’t certain she could have maintained her composure if she had had to interact with a clerk. True to her word, Asuna paid for the room, putting in her cash and receiving an electronic keycard in exchange. All too soon, they were standing in their room, the door firmly shut behind them.

"Huh," Asuna said, after gazing at the room for a moment. "Do you see any microphones?"

"What? No! What kind of place is this?" Ayaka asked, horrified. "Do you think they are recording us?"

"What? No, no. I don't think so, anyways."

"You don't _think_ so?"

"It'd be kind of fun to watch ourselves afterwards. But I just meant the karaoke mics."

Ayaka stared at her for a moment. "Karaoke? What?"

"Yeah, karaoke. You know, singing?" Asuna asked condescendingly. "I just don't see where they put the mics, that's all. They might be in one of those cabinets."

Ayaka felt the blood drain from her face. "Karaoke," she repeated, her voice sounding strange and distant in her own ears. "You think that this is a karaoke place."

"Uh, yeah? Why else would a hotel charge by the hour?" Asuna asked, raising an eyebrow. "And have costumes available?” She pulled open a closet door. “Maid, idol, cowboy...oh, catgirl! That might be funny,” she said, pulling out a pair of ears and putting them on. “Nyan, nyan! Is the rich girl ready to get her butt kicked at karaoke, nyan?” She pawed at the air, before glancing at the bed. “Didn’t realize that these rooms only had one bed though. I hope Setsuna is not freaking out too badly.”

Ayaka barely heard her, still reeling from Asuna’s statement. She thought this was a karaoke place. She had invited Ayaka here, to try and beat her at singing. This idiot had brought her to a love hotel, carrying her to the entrance, and-

And she had agreed. To spend the night at a love hotel. With Asuna.

Ayaka’s poor, tired brain couldn’t take it. With a soft sigh, the girl collapsed to the floor, fainting dead away.


	2. Chapter 2

When Ayaka awoke, she was shocked to find Asuna on top of her. She was even more shocked to find Asuna unfastening her bra. “What are you doing?!” she shrieked, pushing the red-headed girl off her.

Caught off-guard, Asuna tumbled off the bed, taking her bra with her. “Ow! Oh, you’re awake! Thank goodness.”

Ayaka sat up angrily, covering her chest. “What on earth were you doing? Were you assaulting me in my sleep?”

“What? No, I was trying to let you breathe,” Asuna said, puzzled. “I thought you fainted because of your fancy underwear. That stuff’s dangerous!”

Ayaka closed her eyes and sighed. “You're thinking of corsets, you idiot. And properly fitting ones don’t do that either!”

“Oh.” Asuna shrugged. “Well, it’s not like I’d know. They seem pretty impractical.”

“Maybe for a wild animal like you,” she muttered. “Wait. Where are my clothes?”

“Ah, yeah. About that...” Asuna said, scratching the back of her head sheepishly. “When you passed out I...kinda panicked. I thought you couldn’t breath, and I was in a hurry to get them off you. And your outfit had so many hooks and buttons. So…”

“My clothes!” Ayaka said in dismay, spotting a heap of rags on the floor.

Asuna sighed. “Uh, yeah. Sorry about that. I promise, I’ll pay you back what they cost, no matter how long it takes.”

“Money’s not the issue!” Ayaka said irritably. “Now I don’t have anything to wear! And give me my bra back!”

“Sure!” Asuna said easily, handing it over. Or rather, tried to. Half of it fell from her hand as she offered it. “Oh. Uh, I might have ripped it when you pushed me.”

“Asuna!” Ayaka growled, both angry and embarrassed.

“Uh, forget about that!” Asuna said hurriedly. “Are you feeling alright? Did you not get enough to eat at dinner?”

“I’m fine,” Ayaka said frustratedly. “Aside from being stripped and manhandled by an ape!” _”In a love hotel,”_ her brain added. Ayaka pushed that thought to the very back of her mind. She’d have time to process what she’d been thinking when she’d agreed to go to a love hotel with Asuna later. Alone, and with a large bottle of wine.

“I was worried!” Asuna protested. “Honestly, I still am! People usually don’t just faint!”

“I’m perfectly well, thank you,” Ayaka said a sigh. “Aside from having no clothes.”

“Oh! I’ve got it!” Asuna said happily. She rushed to the closet, returning after a moment with one of the costumes. “Here, wear this!”

Ayaka read the label on the garment bag skeptically. “A maid outfit? You must be joking.”

“What, it’s good enough for your servants but not good enough for you?” Asuna teased. “C’mon, put it on!”

Ayaka rolled her eyes. “Very well. But I can’t exactly walk out of here wearing this.”

“No problem! I’ll just call somebody to come bring you some spare clothes.”

Ayaka suddenly had a vision of one of their friends seeing them together at a love hotel. “No!” she said hurriedly. “No, don’t do that.”

Asuna cocked her head. “Why not?”

Ayaka bit her lip. How would Asuna react if she told her about the true nature of this hotel? Would she be shocked? Horrified? Would it ruin their relationship? Ayaka had agreed to come here with her, after all, fully aware that it was a love hotel. If Asuna started to avoid her, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to take it. Asuna, for all of her many irritating qualities, was one of the few constants in her life. She didn’t want to lose her, no matter how galling that might be to admit.

On the other hand...what if Asuna wasn’t upset by the revelation that this was a love hotel? What if she was...excited? She’d already stripped Ayaka of most of her clothes, after all. And she was freakishly strong. If she decided to do...something...to her, would Ayaka be able to stop her? Would she want to stop her?

It was too easy to picture. One of their typical arguments escalating into a wrestling match, just like normal. Except that this time, Ayaka was almost naked. Asuna would pin her down on the bed, smirking at her that annoying way that she did, while Ayaka would struggle helplessly. And then Asuna’s expression would change subtly. Less mocking, and more...hungry. She’d close her eyes, and lower her head slightly…

“Ayaka!” Asuna said loudly. Ayaka jumped, shaken from her thoughts. “Are you sure you’re okay?” She pressed her forehead against Ayaka’s without warning. Ayaka reddened and quickly scrambled backwards on the bed. “You feel pretty warm. You might have a fever.”

“As I said, I’m fine!” Ayaka barked.

“Then answer my question! Why can’t we just call someone to bring your clothes?”

Ayaka was abruptly reminded that she was topless and quickly covered her chest again. “Because it’s late! Most of our friends are in bed already! We can’t wake them up and make them come to a-to come here!”

Asuna cocked her head. “Oh. I guess that makes sense. But then...what are you gonna do?”

Ayaka sighed. “I suppose I’ll just have to buy the costume.”

“Wait. You can do that?”

“Asuna. I have money. I can do anything.”

“Jeez, you’re arrogant,” Asuna muttered. “Anyways, why don’t you get dressed?”

“N-not until you go to the bathroom!”

Asuna frowned. “Why? We change in front of each other all the time.”

“Just do it!”

“Fine, fine,” Asuna said, throwing up her hands and heading to the bathroom.

Ayaka pulled the outfit from the garment bag and sighed at what she found. Just as she had expected, it was the stereotypical French Maid outfit. Clearly designed to titillate, rather than for actual cleaning. She slowly got dressed, examining herself in the mirror as she did so. She hated to admit it, but it actually looked pretty good on her.

“You can come out now!” she called. Asuna came out of the bathroom, still grumbling, until she saw her. Then she froze in place.

Ayaka frowned. “Asuna?”

“You’re hot!” Asuna blurted out. “Wait, I came out wrong! No, I mean that! That came out wrong! I didn’t come out!”

Ayaka stared at her blankly, before her mouth turned up in a grin. “Oh, I see,” she said teasingly. “Does Mistress like the way I look?”

“What?” Asuna asked, bewildered.

Ayaka swirled around, showing off her outfit. “I asked if Mistress enjoys looking at me.” Her embarrassment at this outrageous display was far outweighed by her satisfaction at seeing Asuna at a loss for words. “Is this the sort of thing Mistress likes?”

“Why-why are you talking like that?” Asuna stammered.

“Does Mistresses want me to talk some other way?’ Ayaka pondered, putting a finger to her chin while posing. “Does Mistress only understand the hoots and grunts of her fellow chimps?”

Upon hearing the insult, Asuna shook her head. “Is that really the way you force your maids to talk to you?” she said, sounding more normal. “Jeez. You’ve got some weird tastes!”

“Are you sure you aren’t the one with weird tastes?” Ayaka shot back. “You sure seem to like this outfit…”

“I do not!” Asuna said, a blush creeping across her face. “I don’t even like maids!”

“Are you sure? There might be a place for you at my estate, if you’re looking for work…”

“Like I’d ever work for you! You’d treat me like a dog.”

“Only if you were good,” Ayaka retorted, before covering her mouth. Whoops. That was probably not the sort of thing she should be saying right now.

Asuna seemed similarly embarrassed. “I-uh. I’m not a maid,” she managed to get out. “And I’ll never be one. You look more normal in that then I would.”

“That’s because I can make anything look good,” Ayaka said primly.

Asuna snorted. “Nice. Aren’t maids supposed to be modest? Especially around their mistresses?”

“Oh? Are you saying you’d like me to be your maid?” Ayaka said, batting her eyes exaggeratedly.

Asuna let out an obviously forced laugh. “Yeah right. When was the last time you cleaned anything yourself? What would you even be good for?”

“You can’t think of anything you’d like me to do for you?” Ayaka asked seductively, before mentally slapping herself. Why was she flirting? It was like she wanted Asuna to jump her.

“Uh,” Asuna said, clearly caught off-guard. “Maybe-maybe cooking.”

Ayaka frowned. “Cooking?”

“Well, I’m not very good at it,” Asuna admitted. “Konoka usually makes me breakfast. So, if I ever were going to have a servant, I guess I would want them to cook.”

“So you want me to make you miso soup every morning?”

“Yeah!” Asuna said excitedly, before freezing. “Wait. No! No, that’s-that’s not what I meant!”

Ayaka giggled, seeing Asuna so flustered. Oh no. She might be getting addicted to this. “How romantic, Mistress!”

“Ayaka!” Asuna complained. “You’re acting...weird. Weirder than normal.”

“I’m acting weird? You brought me to a hotel and stripped off my clothes!”

“I-I just wanted to do some karaoke!” Asuna insisted. “Just-just let me bring it up.” She turned and grabbed a remote from the stand, flipping on the tv.

Immediately, the screen lit up with a movie, featuring two busty actresses dressed in high school uniforms. Both were obviously far too old to actually be in high school. “Oh! What’s this?” Asuna asked interestedly. “I haven't seen this before.”

Ayaka’s eyes widened in alarm. The sort of movie that would play at a love hotel... “Turn it off!” she said urgently.

Asuna looked back at her quizzically. “Why?” she asked, as one of the girls on-screen pined the other in a kabedon.

Ayaka swallowed. “It-it looks boring.”

“We haven’t even watched five seconds!” Asuna complained. She brought up the menu at the bottom of the screen. “It’s called Chaos in the Classroom II. ‘The conflict between the spoiled Akane and the hardworking Ami reaches its breaking point.’ Hey, that sounds like us! ‘Unable to contain their feelings any longer, the two girls engage in a fierce battle for dominance in the classroom after school.’”

Ayaka bit her lip. The one pinning the girl had begun to lean in.

“No point in watching the sequel first,” Asuna said, switching the TV off. “But I’m going to look up the first one when I get home.”

“Have fun with that,” Ayaka said faintly, imagining Asuna’s reaction.

“Seriously, where are the microphones?” Asuna complained, searching through the cabinets under the television. “The only thing in here is a stupid brochure.”

“A brochure?”

“Yeah, just letting us know about all the perks of staying here,” Asuna said dismissively, holding it up. ‘The Naughty Kitten is proud to offer the finest service for our guests,” she read in a pompous voice. “As one ot the city’s premier love hotels, we are…” Asuna trailed off, rereading that section. “Wait. Love hotel?”

Ayaka waited with baited breath as Asuna studied the brochure intently. When she looked up, her face was utterly red. “Uh,” she said awkwardly. “I-I don’t think this place does karaoke.”


End file.
